*7Amidst the hush, away from home, under the tall-shady trees, on the apex, and by the calm lakes, get magnetized to the seclusion of Voyageurs national park camping. It is one of the top national parks in Minnesota.
Voyageurs national park camping is like a 3-course meal because you will experience a spine chill with some venturesome activities, sightseeing, and witnessing the exquisiteness of nature. It allows you to breathe in the oxygen of life and the love of mother nature.
A Guide to Voyageurs National Park Camping
What makes Voyageurs national park camping popular and best among the other national parks? The answer to this is that they offer over 150 campsites, each peculiar from the others. You can enjoy your site with your family and friends with privacy and make it a matchless trip to any other national park.
No kids screaming, no noisy machines and no interference from other campers will be a hindrance to your escapade. You don’t have to worry much about a suitable campsite because the good old days of not being able to find a calm and harmonious campsite in the USA are gone.
This article will not only make camping sound exciting but also will make you fall in love with every element of Voyageurs national park camping that integrates to give you explicit and extraordinary tourism.
Campsites Accessible Only by Watercraft
Splash your hands through the lake top as the boat sails ahead to get you to the campsites. One of the best things about Voyageurs national park camping is that you can enjoy a sail in the lake before you start your adventure already.
Some of the camping sites are on the same island and some may be very far, but all are water-based and are accessible only by watercraft.
All the front-country campsites and backcountry campsites are located in water and require a permit to access. Many campsites are front-country and could be easily accessed using a water vessel.
Types of Voyageurs National Park Camping Sites
Voyageurs national park camping is going to be super fun and easily accessible because they have provided you with a delicacy of campsites. Whichever type is suitable for you and your group, you can book your reservations accordingly.
Almost every campsite has vault toilets and a picnic table. You will be provided with various amenities to ease your camping experience here in this national park.
1. Small Campsite
These are designed for a maximum of 9 people and overnight camping used with tents is mandatory.
Amenities Available: Tent pads, one metal picnic table, a vaulted toilet, and a fire ring.
2. Large Campsite
The Pines of Kabetogama Resort is one of the famous and spacious campsites near Lake Kabetogama with a drive-in and boat-it near the campsite.
Amenities Available: Designed for a maximum of 18 people, overnight use with tents only, four tent pads, two metal picnic tables, bear-proof food lockers, one metal fire ring with a cooking grate, and the vaulted toilet will be provided.
3. Group Campsite
Kabetogama Lake Group Campsite, Rainy Lake Group, and Mukooda Lake Campground in Sand Point are some of the pet-friendly group campsites.
Amenities Available: Designed for 14- 30 people, overnight use with tents and houseboats is allowed, picnic tables and scenic vistas, two metal fire rings with a cooking grate, a vaulted toilet, dock space, accessible dock lift, and food storage lockers will be ensured.
4. Backcountry Campsite
Only a few backcountry campsites are there, which means you should get access to the trailhead through water before you could begin your hiking. These campgrounds are situated just in the Kabetogama Peninsula.
These are located close to lakes and provide you with absolute isolation and remote encounter with nature. No pets and no private watercraft are allowed on interior lakes, and overnight use with tents only.
Amenities Available: Bear poles and pit toilets are available.
Best RV Parks of Voyageurs National Park Camping
Whether you like rustic kinds of campsites or smaller ones, you will surely find a suitable one to enjoy with your loved ones. These resorts are the best options for you to enjoy an RV park experience:
1. Arrowhead Lodge Resort
Nestled in the south of Lake Kabetogama, Arrowhead Lodge is owned and run by a family. It provides an excellent full-service tent camping experience in Voyageurs national park.
In addition to this, they offer complementary services of providing kayaks and canoes, along with boat and fishing gear for rent.
2. Voyageurs Sunrise Resort
Assort your experience of Voyageurs national park camping in one of the finest RV parks- Voyageurs Sunrise Resort. Here, all the sites have hookups, so either you can get a watercraft on rentals or bring your watercraft to lakes.
Get rid of your stress with your friends and family on the water trampoline and along with these amenities. You can also get access to a small general store.
3. Ash Ka Nam Resort & Lodge
Opened year-round, Ask Ka Nam Resort & Lodge is a full-service resort situated in Northern Minnesota. Available with hotel rooms, pretty condos, and log housekeeping cabins to harbour all sizes.
They also offer aesthetic RV sites along with a bar and restaurant with a deck overviewing the river. It leaves no stone unturned by them to make your Voyageurs national park camping best.
Best Time to Visit Voyageurs National Park Camping for RV Parks
Nobody would like to miss the best parts about the Voyageurs national park camping for RV parks. You can do a range of crazy and exciting activities, but they may vary according to the seasons. The Voyageur country has mainly four distinct seasons and they are as follows:
1. Winter
Dominant of all seasons, winter comes early and stays till late in Voyageurs national park. The temperature may fall below 0 degrees to -55 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes this season for Voyageurs’ national park camping tour unsuitable for chicken hearts.
But, no need to wait for springs and summers to arrive because, with proper aid and strategies, you can make your winters in Voyageurs national park mystical.
The main measurable snowfall occurs in late October. Since the temperature is shivering cold, the lakes get frozen and serve as highways for snow crafts and cross-country skiing. You can also find an elusive and prosperous pack of wolves in the park.
Whenever winter comes, it brings your icy tales full of fun and exploration in one of the best national parks like going snowshoeing, snowmobiling on groomed trails, ice fishing, or heart-throbbing cross-country skiing.
2. Spring
The melting snow and thawing out of lakes will captivate your heart and mind because spring in Voyageurs national park sees a gradual transition from the icy tales of lakes and forests into welcoming the summer of hiking trails and boating, and campfires.
Most campers tempt to visit the Voyageurs national park for warmer temperatures and the availability of increased opportunities.
3. Summer
Bring sunshine to your Voyageurs national park camping experience this summer, one of the most pleasant weather to have boat tours. You can also see bald eagles soaring overheads near Voyageurs national park. Also, you can thoroughly enjoy summer fishing and house boating, which you may miss in any other season.
To maximize your recreational opportunities and adventure, you should take a step to visit the Voyageurs national park during the Summer. Be prepared how to deal with the mosquitoes and necessities you will require to joyfully enjoy a bug-free adventure and tent camping.
4. Fall
Fall in love this fall, with the fully-fledged autumn reds, yellows, and oranges of Voyageurs national park. In addition to the fall beauty, you will find a lesser crowd comparatively, almost similar opportunities like the summers, and bug-free surrounding is a plus. Therefore, it has acquired a place in the list of best national parks to visit during the fall.
You can sit there and watch the rising and setting of the sun’s reflection in the still lake water and the northern lights dancing above during the nighttime. Feeding your eyes and soul with this supremacy of the Fall shouldn’t be missed at all. So be quick and plan your trip dates to explore Voyageurs’ national park camping.
Lake Visitor Centers of Voyageurs National Park Camping
A visitor center is a physical location, where tourists can easily access information related to the area, and be familiar with the history, and tourist attraction spots like campsites and map sites.
Near the Voyageurs national park, you will find 4 large lakes and around 26 small lakes like Rainy Lake, Kabetogama Lake, Namakan Lake, International Falls, and Crane lake.
Voyageurs national park offers three visitor centers, namely, Rainy Lake visitor center, Kabetogama Lake, and Ash River. Also, there are other park visitor centers like Crane lake ranger station and Woodenfrog.
1. Rainy Lake Visitor Center
Rainy Lake is the largest lake in Voyageurs national park, covering over 360 square miles of picturesque scenery. What is best about the Rainy Lake visitor center?
- It is open year-round, albeit the active times differ with seasons.
- It is located on the shore of Black Bay, in International Falls with sees across the Kabetogama.
- From late May to September, the Rainy Lake visitor center is open from 9 AM to 5 PM, and similarly from January to May.
- From October to December, it is open from 10 AM to 4 PM.
- It also offers a gallery, occasional shows, a book shop, a staffed data work area, a kids’ action table, and a venue for surveying the recreation area film and an assortment of nature recordings.
2. Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center
The Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center is found simply off Interstate 53 and area street 122.
- It is open from May to September every year.
- It offers the visitors many recreational opportunities such as Echo Bay Hiking Trail (2.5 miles), state-of-the-art interactive exhibits, Junior Ranger programs, ranger-led interpretive programs, and boat tours.
3. Ash River Visitor Center
Easy access off Highway 53, the Ash river visitor center is open for the summer but remains inactive for the winter.
- Take a tour of this historic and rustic center located in the historic Meadowood Lodge, and, mind your head while crossing the doorways, as they are designed for shorter people.
Things to Do in Voyageurs National Park Camping Excursion
Gone are the days when camping is just defined only for adventure freak people but lately people of all kinds seek camping not only to witness a venturesome trip but also to experience the beauty of nature. People plan for fortnight trip dates to explore the freshness of greens around them.
Camping has been revolutionized for a long time as it is no more like staying in camps and singing in chorus over bonfire rings. This is why Voyageurs national park camping offers an exclusive campsite map designed for the delicacies of wanderlust and for campers to enjoy and retain a memory of adventure and wandering like never before.
1. Gaze the Northern Lights
Video by Ben Sunne from Instagram
The northern lights- the most picturesque light show on this planet can be witnessed on crisp evenings, promising you the conviction of spending the spectacular minutes during the Voyageurs national park camping.
No, it is not the usual faint glow on the horizon, but the entire sky coming alive and dancing in dazzling illuminations of greens and blues. No need to get upset about not being able to visit Alaska or Iceland to watch the glazing northern lights, because you can watch them here in this park
You can get to see all the glorious illuminations. And keep in mind that while looking for the northern lights, you can likewise see the Milky Way, satellites, meteorites, and more as you gaze at the darker skies of the park.
Fall and winter offer a great opportunity for you to see the northern lights but if it is in your fate, you can see them any time of the year, given the conditions are suitable.
You can prepare hot chocolate bombs from home to enjoy a cozy night with some instant steamy hot chocolate, while you encounter the northern lights in the adventures of Voyageurs national park camping.
2. Visit the Ellsworth Rock Gardens
Nestled on the north shore of Kabetogama lake lies the Ellsworth Rock Gardens, also known as ‘Showplace of Lake Kabetogama.’ This fascinating garden was created in the 1940s over 20 years by Jack Ellsworth, a self-taught artist.
What makes it serve as a recreational destination and one of the most important parts of your Voyageurs national park camping experience? The answer is the significance of its beauty, which was established by the masterpieces curated by Ellsworth and the importance of the garden.
(a) Sculptures
The gardens contain an arrangement of 204 sculptures, which may vary in size and complexity. Some may be single rocks with atypical and surprising shapes or colours, whereas others may be large rocks or stones mortared together.
You will find several chairs, tables and, altar-like arrangements that can be arranged into various typologies like figures, monoliths, tables, spires, and gateways.
(b) Contributing Buildings & Structures
Unlike ordinary gardens, you may also find several historic buildings associated with property containing workshops, privy, and cabins. Ellsworth’s cabin, privy, and workshop were outline structures, worked in 1944, and covered with half-log sidings.
A few structures are relocated to the site to work with guest access and wayfinding. If you are planning an out-day site camping, then this should rank first in your Voyageurs national park camping tour list.
3. Sand Point
This lake can be accessed nearest through the passage local area of Crane Lake. It is best suitable for overnight use. Amenities available are fire rings, a dock, a food storage locker, tables, tent pads, and vault toilets.
4. Visit the Historic Kettle Falls
Centrally located in Voyageurs national park, the rose-red roof Kettle Falls Hotel, constructed by Ed Rose in 1913 lies between Lake Namakan and Rainy Lake is only accessible by water.
They have been serving visitors with utmost hospitality and hearty meals. In 1987, the National Park Service renovated the hotel for tourists to enhance their Voyageur’s national park camping experience.
5. Catch a Fish
Go to search and hunt for Walleye, Northern pike, Muskellunge, Smallmouth bass, and Crappie. No matter whichever season you go for, be it the summer or the winter, you can go fishing or ice fishing.
Pack a picnic lunch, rent a boat, and set sail in the large lakes to make your Voyageurs national park camping trip alive and engaging.
Tips for Voyageurs National Park Camping
1. Safety
Safety first. You must take care of all necessities that you will have to carry while planning to go on a daredevil trip to a National park. Right from the first aid kit to bear-proof food lockers, you need to be organized and systematic while going to Voyageurs national park camping.
There are countless lodges and resorts around, that will help you rent a boat or you can take your boat for a sail in the lakes. Several resorts and hotels have their boat ramp and you can access the boats either on rentals or as a complimentary from them.
While taking your boat tours in park waters near Voyageurs national park, don’t forget to take a fishing guide or a local professional to keep yourself safe and well-guided.
2. Accommodations Near Voyageurs National Park
As mentioned, there are many campsites and RV camps available, along with that you can find many resorts within the park boundaries too, but they might be expensive or a little over budget.
The city of International Falls has a couple of lodgings as well. On the off chance that you are willing to drive farther, you can track down inexpensive lodgings in the towns of Baudette, Warroad, and Orr.
The Inference
Voyageurs national park camping is simply as fine and adventurous as it gets ahead. This park has so many natural aesthetics and exclusive features, which makes it an outstanding national park compared to other parks. Gone are the days when camping was all about bird watching and tent camping, and now you know it is way more than that.
From setting sail from a boat ramp to admiring the historical gardens and resorts, Voyageurs national park camping has covered all the domains of tourism one may have never imagined at all.
If you are not a resident of the U.S., then you have got your reasons to cross the international border to seek peace in adventurous Voyageurs national park camping. Hurry up call your pals and get ready to set on a venturesome trip in the years ahead.
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Last Updated on March 15, 2023 by ibtisam72